Preview: IKEA Sultan Erfjord

Last night we fell into bed with another Swede, but this time a much more affordable one. Our new Ikea Sultan is also smaller because the delivery men couldn't get a queen size through our door (similar to last time). Rather than teach them how to squeeze it through, I figured 12 months of this was going to kill me, so I opted for a smaller full size, which they delivered with no problem. It's going to be a full size year. It really looks tiny, but it DOES make our bedroom feel bigger, which is very refreshing.

We had to test an Ikea bed because they are - in my mind - a high standard at the low end of the spectrum, and I'd never slept on one before. If Hastens is a luxury bed that one might aspire to later in life, then the Ikea beds are your entry bed that you might aspire to upon graduating from college. And since they are both Swedish, it seemed more interesting to compare them back to back.

Mind you, I didn't choose the cheapest Ikea bed (@ $80 for a Jaren mattress), but went for the upper end of their spectrum, where their foam beds live (natural latex, memory foam and blend). At just under $1k, this is NOT a cheap bed.

In addition, I'd also recently learned that Ikea is making a bigger move into beds, upgrading its Sultan line and capitalizing on their broad distribution now that they've spent the last ten years building a ton of new stores in the US. They WANT you to buy their beds.

What Do We Think So Far?

It was actually fascinating recognizing the similar DNA between the two beds, even as one is built like a tank and the other is lightweight. As I unwrapped the Erjford, I loved that it came in two neat pieces (mattress and foundation) with five wooden legs screwing directly into the foundation just like the Hastens. This makes so much sense to me. Not only does it simplify things and not necessitate a metal frame, it also makes the bed quieter and more stable. No wheels to roll around and no creaking of many parts.

After one night, it is DEFINITELY a different bed. While we both slept pretty well, the firmness and the foam will take an adjustment, and Sara was hoping that it was going to be more springy, like memory foam, but it is not. In addition, it doesn't breathe as much as the all cotton, horsehair Hastens, and the latex feels a little warm at night. You sleep ON this bed, as opposed to IN it.

The Prediction?

Compared to an over $10k luxury bed, I'm not predicting that the Sultan will be better, but I am hoping that it will be a VERY GOOD bed for the price, providing a good night's sleep. We both originally favored firmer beds, so we may find this more familiar and comfortable in some ways.

Things I've noted that it has going for it are:

a. Majority of all natural ingredients (natural latex, 100% eco-cotton, lambs wool and solid wood - strangely no metal springs are mentioned). There was no off gassing that I could detect when we opened it up.

b. Nice, simple design that offers over 14" of depth, which should give us all the comfort we need.

Do you sleep on an Ikea Sultan? If yes, please let me know in the comments how it's going for you.

Maxwell left teaching in 2001 to start Apartment Therapy as a design business helping people to make their homes more beautiful, organized AND healthy. The website started up in 2004 with the help of his brother, Oliver.